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Delmar City Districts
The city of Delmar was built on the Jawama River delta in the North of Yels. Through use of levees and dams, portions of the swamps were drained for development. Over the years, parts of the city have risen from and fallen into the swamps, but the city endures. Gates Rivergate The gate for the river road leading into the city. Marshgate This huge gate spans a wide expanse of marsh, letting in boats and barges into the Firefly Quarter. A huge portcullis can be lowered across the gate, barring entrance and exit. Consul’s Gate '''This small gate is usually closed, but opens onto the road leading to the Alcazzar and the Senate House. It is usually used for the Consul, senators, or dignitaries entering the city. '''Ancestor’s Gate A gate leading into the poorer districts within the walls of Delmar. Desna’s Gate Opens up onto the main thoroughfare of Delmar. The big gate is wide enough to let four wagons pass side-by-side. All land-based trade enters through Desna’s Gate and the Consul’s customs agents, and city guards, are usually stationed here during the day. Wagons and merchants who do not arrive while the gate is open must wait on the road outside the city. Military The Arsenal Holds barracks and stores for any soldiers stationed at Delmar. Includes a large training ground for new recruits, forges for production of weapons and armor, and administration buildings for the officers in charge of the army and navy. Located at the mouth of Old Harbor. It provides protection from external threats from land and sea. Constabulary The Black Bailey The center of administration for Delmar’s city guards. Also, it holds the courthouse. It has barracks for the guards, training grounds, and stables. Hangings and executions are held in front of the Black Bailey and there are dungeons underneath for holding prisoners. Administrative The Alcazzar The palace and court of the Consul. An expansive swathe of land in the center of the city’s richest district, Riverbend, was taken by the Consul for the palace. It is an opulent building with large gardens spreading over the grounds. Includes the personal stables, staff, and servants for the Consul. Elaborate balls and parties can be held in the Alcazzar’s great hall and the kitchens can feed 500 or more people in elaborate feasts. Dignitaries and important personages are usually housed in the palace, where they are treated to all the comforts of the Consul’s hospitality. The Mayor’s Mansion The home of the mayor of Delmar is much smaller and less opulent than the Alcazzar, but that is like saying an elephant is smaller than a whale. The house is very luxurious and has stood on the north shore of the city for countless years. From the house, the Mayor oversees the day-to-day operation of the city and holds meetings, dealings, and parties in the mansion’s ballroom. Important officials within the city are often seen here; anyone from captain of the City Watch to the dockmasters from the Old Harbor. Senate House '''Delmar is the center of government for the Republic of Yels, so the Senate House dominates the hill on the eastern side of the river. The huge domed structure is taken up largely by the Senate Chamber, which is a circular room with stadium style tiers of desks. At the bottom of the “bowl”, Senators and guests may make speeches from the Senate floor. The rest of the building is comprised of offices and modest living quarters for Senators who are visiting and don’t have a home in the city. Patriciate '''Riverbend Located in the south of the city, within the walls, Riverbend occupies the land that directly precedes the marshland that most of the city was built on. This piece of non-swamp was quickly taken by the richest of the city’s residents. Most of the houses here are mansions that have sprouted up around the Alcazzar, housing all the patrician ladies and gentlemen of the city. Most of the city’s old money resides here and lavish parties are thrown almost all nights of the year. Greenmist Terraces Across the Greenmist Bay, the newly wealthy merchant class has made its home. Luxurious townhouses and mansions line the streets, with upscale shops and paved roads. The old money of Riverbend looks down on the Terraces, but the new money of Greenmist sneer at stuck-up Riverbend. Temple District The Temple District occupies the center of the city, where all citizens have access to. Three temples dominate the district: the enormous temple of Desna and the two slightly smaller temples of Erastil and Gorum. Temple of Desna In the center of the city is the huge temple of Desna. It is a colosseum-like building with the main thoroughfare running through its center. Inside the ring, canvas awnings shade weary travellers during the day, but are withdrawn at night so that worshippers might see the stars. Erastil Fields Though worship of Erastil is strange for city folk, the priests here have carved out a park in the name of their god. The Erastil Fields are dotted with gardens tended by the priesthood, as well as large silos of grain stockpiled in case of famine or siege. The priests teach farmcraft and family counsel. Most midwifing is done at the Erastil Fields. House of Gorum Gorum’s temple is an imposing castle in miniature filled with training grounds for all martial practice. Blessed forges can be heard ringing at all hours, along with the clash of blades and armor. The place smells of molten steel and sweat. Many of the Republic’s generals pay respects at the house of Gorum. Commoner's Districts The Canton Filled with houses of successful merchants and craftsmen, the Canton is a well-lit and well-patrolled district where it is mostly safe to walk at night. Cricket’s Hollow Just on the inside of Desna’s Gate, Cricket’s Hollow plays host to travellers looking for inns and taverns. Craftsmen's Districts Ironmonger's Alley '''While not solely dedicated to ironworking, the Ironmongers Alley is home to the city's metalworking craftsmen. Blacksmiths, wainwrights, armorsmiths and weaponsmiths have all set up shop here. Also present in the Ironmonger's Alley are tradesmen who specialize in weapons of all sorts, including fletchers and pike-makers. '''Hearthstone Row Much less martial than Ironmonger's Alley, Hearthstone Row focuses on tradesmen and women who make goods for home and hearth. Bakers, chandlers, butchers, brewers, and the like all call this part of the city home. The Guildhalls The centers of power for city's guilds. Tradesmen can gather and voice their complaints and issues with their representatives in the city government. Markets The Wagon's Wheel In the middle of the city, where the main thoroughfare exits the Temple of Desna, an enormous circular space opens up with the Consul's Column at the center. Bustling merchants noisily sell their wares and hire children to act as cryers in front of their stands. Fresh fruit, bread, pots, pans, rope, cows, anything can be bought in the Wagon's Wheel market if you know where to look. Fishmonger's Square This market is open in the poor sections of the city near The Dregs and Bootblack. Strange goods of poor quality dominate the vendors' stalls, which are surrounded by tough-looking men with blackjacks and nightsticks on the lookout for thieves. Firefly Quarter Just inside the Marshgate, the Firefly district is a port for river boats and barges to unload their cargos. Gruff dockhands and bargepoles work and drink here. You'll always find a strange character in the Firefly Quarter, wandering in from the swamps to unload their cargos of lizardskin and strange meats. Others are from the distant cities in the heartlands of Yels, here to offload ore or timber. Docks Old Harbor '''The original harbor for the city of Delmar is overlooked by the Arsenal. Huge ships filled with valuable cargos come in from distant lands crewed by foreigners and old saltdogs. '''The Naval Yard East of the Old Harbor, the Yelsic navy has taken over this small bay for warship refitting and construction. Greenmist Bay Greenmist Bay is a popular port for the wealthy and their pleasure yachts and barges. Sleek and luxurious ships can be seen floating in the docks here, along with the young and adventurous dandies with a soft spot for sailing. Slums The Dregs The Dregs are filled with tenements and cheap housing for the city's laborers and downtrodden. Slumlords rule here and gangs of thieves work the streets, looking for easy pockets to pick. Bootblack Home to warring gangs, Bootblack makes up the largest and poorest section of the city. The tenements in the Dregs look like upscale apartments compared to the run-down hovels that barely stand on their own in Bootblack. The city watch doesn't patrol here and rarely comes out in anything smaller than a platoon. Floodwater There are two things that frighten the residents of Floodwater the most: fire and the Jawama river. Floodwater is a clustering of hastily built wooden buildings huddled together along the eastern bank of the Jawama river. Every year, the residents pray that the rains will not overflow the riverbanks and sweep their homes out to sea. Marshlight At the edges of the city, the swamp constantly tries to retake its territory. Just outside Marshgate, there is a shanty-town made of half-sunken ships and scuttled boats reaching out from the city into the swamp. Venturing into Marshlight is always an adventure. The city watch does not patrol here, but the residents have a strange sort of backwoods justice. Woe be to the stranger who breaks custom here. They might find themselves "accidentally" falling off one of the rickety wooden bridges and into the swamp mud. Much to the delight of the crocodiles lurking just below the surface.